Automatic maxillary expander and transfering apparatus

Abstract

An automatic Maxillary Expander, which is a bone-borne distractor for expanding the maxillary bone in adult and adolescents having transversal maxillary hypoplasia. It fixes itself to the palatal vault in a way without any need for screwing, by the asymmetrical triangular prism-shaped spikes on the anterior, posterior columns. Both being hygienic and not wasting a bulky space in the mouth, it provides a high patient comfort. The maxillary expanding process does not interrupt orthodontic treatment of patients and minimizes damage to the texture of the mouth. An automatic Maxillary Expander Transferring Apparatus enables the practitioner to place the Automatic Maxillary Expander into the palatal surface with ease and precision into the palate under local anesthesia quickly, without any surgical operation. In addition, this apparatus is composed of a very simple mechanism. It has rounded ends in order not to hurt the practitioner or patient.

1 . An automatic maxillary expander ( 7 ), being a bone-borne distractor for expanding the maxillary bone in adult and adolescents who have transversal maxillary hypoplasia, comprising:
 two carrier blocks ( 4 );   a screw housing ( 5 . 2 ) formed in the middle part of the carrier blocks ( 4 );   shaft housings ( 6 . 1 ) formed on the carrier blocks ( 4 );   a geared co-axial screw ( 5 ) which is mounted in screw housings ( 5 . 2 );   bores ( 5 . 3 ) formed on the geared co-axial screw ( 5 );   two stability shafts ( 6 ) which are situated on both sides of the geared co-axial screw ( 5 ) in shaft housings ( 6 . 1 );   posterior columns ( 2 ) which are fixed to said carrier blocks ( 4 ) and having anti-rotation notches ( 2 . 1 ) which prevent rotation into the palatal vault;   anterior columns ( 1 ) which are fixed to said carrier blocks ( 4 ) and having anti-rotation notches ( 1 . 1 ) which prevent rotation into the palatal vault and formed shorter than the posterior notched columns ( 2 ) in order to provide better adaptation to the palatal vault; and   asymmetrical triangular prism-shaped spikes ( 3 ) which are mounted on the anterior and posterior columns ( 1 , 2 ) for providing penetration and anti-rotation of the automatic maxillary expander ( 7 ) into the palatal bone having notches ( 3 . 1 ) formed on the wider surfaces thereof facing the tongue for providing stability and penetrating the spikes ( 3 ) deeply by cropping the palatal bone.   
   
   
       2 - 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . The expander ( 7 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the geared co-axial screw ( 5 ) comprises a gear ( 5 . 1 ) having a certain number of teeth in the middle. 
   
   
       13 . An automatic maxillary expander transferring apparatus ( 22 ) used to place a automatic maxillary-expander ( 7 ) into the palate easily and appropriately, comprising:
 a handhold ( 21 ) having elliptic-sectional shape;   a cradle ( 13 ) which is fixed on to the handhold ( 21 );   a rack-and-pinion gear member ( 14 ) which is connected to the cradle ( 13 );   a fulcrum ( 8 ) which is fixed on to the handhold ( 21 );   a crowbar ( 9 ) which is connected to the fulcrum ( 8 ) and to the rack-and-pinion gear member ( 14 ) and which draws away the rack-and-pinion gear member ( 14 ) from the cradle ( 13 ) by each pressing movement thereof;   a crowbar arc ( 19 ) which is positioned mutually between the handhold ( 21 ) and the crowbar ( 9 ) and connected to both of them;   a flexible retentive arc ( 16 ) which is connected to the cradle ( 13 ) and holds the bottom of the automatic maxillary expander ( 7 );   a back stop ( 20 ) which is fixed to the cradle ( 13 ) and holds the upper-part of the automatic maxillary expander ( 7 ) to fix it until it is planted in the palate; and   a gear ( 15 ) which is mounted into the cradle ( 13 ) and moves anticlockwise by the movement of the rack-and-pinion gear member ( 14 ) providing the expansion of the automatic maxillary expander ( 7 ) horizontally.   
   
   
       14 . The transferring apparatus ( 22 ) according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 cradle bolts ( 18 ) which connect the cradle ( 13 ) to the handhold ( 21 );   crowbar pins ( 10 ) which connect the crowbar ( 9 ) to the fulcrum ( 8 ) and to the rack-and-pinion gear member ( 14 );   arc pins ( 17 ) which connect the crowbar arc ( 19 ) to the upper surface of the handhold ( 21 ) and to the bottom surface of the crowbar ( 9 );   a retentive arc bolt ( 12 ) which connects the flexible retentive arc ( 16 ) to the cradle ( 13 ); and   a cradle gear pin ( 11 ) which provides mounting of the gear ( 15 ) into the cradle ( 13 ).